Muffling device on pneumatically driven material handling machine



22,1964 E HENDRICKSON ETAL 3,162,264

MUFFLING DEVICE ON PNEUMATICALLY DRIVEN MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE FiledApril 22, 1963 FIG. 2

24 21 5 i I0 I I j o O O O O 0 Q ,WIZ

0 l9 |B 39 I3 38 O O o I7 0 o o as I 1 w L My: .3

FIG INVENTOR5 DONALD E. HENDRICKSON JAMES D. BROWN BY Jw/QJM ATTDRNEYUnited States Patent 3 162,264 MUFFLING DEVlCiE N PNEUMATICALLY DRIVENMATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE Donald E. Hendrickson and James I). Brown,Salt Lake City, Utah, assignors to The Eimeo Corporation, Salt LakeCity, Utah, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 22, 1963, Ser. No.274,755 2 (Ilaims. (Cl. 181-36) This invention relates generally topneumatically operated devices and in particular to improved ways andmeans for muliling the exhaust from pneumatic motors driving suchdevices.

In mining operations, extensive use is made of the socalled muckingmachine in which there is provided a vehicle having a lower deckoverlain by an upper deck which in turn carries a loading bucket andnecessary structures for raising and lowering the bucket between loadingand discharge positions. To enhance operation, the upper deck isrotatable about a vertical axis while the lower deck remains immovablewith respect to the vehicle.

Such devices are usually employed underground or in other close areaswhich confine dust and noise, both of which are deleterious .toefiicient operation. This is so, because pneumatic-motor exhaust,especially when confined, is irritating to the ear; and dust is aproblem because it inevitably works into the ball races of the turnablebearing between upper and lower decks thus necessitating frequentinterruption for lubrication.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide in suchpneumatically operated vehicles improved ways and means for mufiling theair exhaust which ways and means are easily effected at low initial costand maintained without attention or operating cost.

A further particular object is the provision of means for lubricatingthe turntable bearings concomittantly with mutiiing of the motorexhaust.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and carriedinto eifect, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and thedescription thereof all of which are offered by way of example only andare not to be taken as limiting the invention, the scope of which isdefined by the appended claims rather than by any preceding description.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a wheel mounted loader embodyingthe invention, certain parts being cutaway and others shown in sectionfor purposes of clarity.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the turntable employed in a loader ofFIG. 1, certain elements being shown in elevation for clarity.

In the drawings there is shown a loading machine generally designatedcomprising essentially a wheeled vehicle 11 which serves as the primarybase or support and carries the bucket operating and supporting section12 which is in turn mounted on the vehicle 11 in a manner to berotatable about a vertical axis.

\ The loader is equipped with a bucket 13 mounted on arms 14 which aremovable between the lowered loading position as shown and an elevateddischarge position, such motion being accomplished by means of tensionapplied in known fashion to chain 16.

3,162,264 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 A lower support or deck 17 is fixedlycarried by the vehicle and this in turn supports an overlying uppersupport or deck 18. In order to enable side to side rotation of theupper deck (and associated bucket 13 and arms 14) a large bearing 19 andcentrally located king pin 21 are provided.

As is usual, the vehicle is powered by an air motor 22 controlled by asuitable valve 23 and control handle 24 for forward and reverse timing.Elevation of the bucket for discharge is effected by means of a secondair motor 26, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 1, controlled by asuitable lever 27 which actuates a similar valve. Air is supplied toboth motors by means of a common inlet 28 and discharges therefrom as apulsating exhaust.

In accordance with the invention, exhaust gases from the motors aremufiied by passing them through the chamber 29 defined by the areaWithin the periphery of the bearing assembly 19 and the lower and theupper decks (17 and 18) of the loader. The enlarged chamber accommodatesexpansion of the gases and dampens the pulsing exhaust. The expanded anddampened gases then pass outwardly between the ball races 31 of thebearing assembly.

In air motors, exhaust gases carry a quantity of entrained oil and thisdeposits on the bearing members including the balls 32 thus lubricatingthese elements. At the same time, the gases sweep away dust or gritparticles that may otherwise creep into the ball races from the outside.

As shown in the drawings, the exhaust port of motor 22 is covered by cap34 to which is attached a conducting conduit 36 leading through a port37 in the deck 17 thereby providing direct communication between the airmotor exhaust and the chamber 29.

In the case of the upper air motor, the exhaust port 38 connects to aconduit 29 which leads through an intermediate chamber 41 that normallyhouses a centering mechanism, (details of which are not discussed here)thence through a port 42 into the chamber 29.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the mufliing system of thepresent invention is extremely simple and is readily adaptable to use onany existing loader of the type under discussion or of any other typeemploying turntables having enlarged chambers such as chamber 29.

Actual studies have shown the noise suppression to be on'the order of80%; and the arrangement takes care of of the lubricating needs of theturntable and king pin. It will be seen, then, that the presentinvention satisfiies important needs and does so with little expense andwithout the addition of moving parts or any equipment needing attentionor maintenance.

Although the invention has been described with particular reference tothe air exhausted from the motor, it will be appreciated that airby-passing the motor, or otherwise passingthrough the valve, may besimilarly muflied.

We claim:

1. Mufliing means for an industrial structure of the type including abase support, a first deck fixed on said base support, a second deckoverlying said first deck, industrial tools carried by said second deckand exhaustproducing motor means associated with said industrialstructure, said mutfling means comprising a gas-permeable bearing meansbetween said decks enabling relative motion of said decks, said bearingmeans defining the sidewalls and said decks defining the top and bottomof a plenum space between said decks, and conduit means interconnectingthe exhaust of said motor means with the interior of said plenum spacefor conducting exhaust gases into said plenum space for eventualdischarge through said bearing means.

2. Muffiing means for a mucking machine of the type including a basevehicle, a first deck fixed on said vehicle, a second deck overlyingsaid first deck, a bucket and as.- sociated supporting structure carriedby said second deck and exhaust-producing motor means for operating saidbucket, said mufiiing means comprising a gas-permeable bearing meansbetween said decks enabling relative motion of said overlying seconddeck Withrespect to said first deck, said bearing means defining thesidewalls and said decks defining the top and bottom of a plenum spacebetween said decks, and conduit means interconnecting the exhaust ofsaid motor means with the interior of said plenum space for conductingexhaust gases into said plenum space for eventual discharge through saidbearing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,136,315 Pettit Nov. 8, 1938 2,946,315 Doeden July 26, 1960 2,950,775Zwayer Aug. 30, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 669,533 Great Britain Apr. 2, 1952

1. MUFFLING MEANS FOR AN INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE OF THE TYPE INCLUDING ABASE SUPPORT, A FIRST DECK FIXED ON SAID BASE SUPPORT, A SECOND DECKOVERLYING SAID FIRST DECK, INDUSTRIAL TOOLS CARRIED BY SAID SECOND DECKAND EXHAUSTPRODUCING MOTOR MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID INDUSTRIALSTRUCTURE, SAID MUFFLING MEANS COMPRISING A GAS-PERMEABLE BEARING MEANSBETWEEN SAID DECKS ENABLING RELATIVE MOTION OF SAID DECKS, SAID BEARINGMEANS DEFINING THE SIDEWALLS AND SAID DECKS DEFINING THE TOP AND BOTTOMOF A PLENUM SPACE BETWEEN SAID DECKS, AND CONDUIT MEANS INTERCONNECTINGTHE EXHAUST OF SAID MOTOR MEANS WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID PLENUM SPACEFOR CONDUCTING EXHAUST GASES INTO SAID PLENUM SPACE FOR EVENTUALDISCHARGE THROUGH SAID BEARING MEANS.